Can-drainer



A. R. THOMPSON.

CAN DRAINER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.17,1921- Patented Nov. 15, 1921..

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

1 [V V EN TOR A TTOR NE YS A. R. THOMPSON.

CAN DRAINER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR, I1, I921.

1 ,397, 1 53, Patented Nov. 15, 1921.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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A. R. THOMPSON. CANADRAINER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR, 17. 1921.

1,397,153. Patented Nov. 15, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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ALBERT R. THOMPSON, or sen .rosn, CALIFORNIA, assrenon 'ro Annnnson nannenovna MFG. 00., or SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, A. oonroaerron or CALIFORNIA.-

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CAN-DRAINER.

Patented Nov. 15, 1921.,

Application filed March 17, 1921. Serial No. 453,194;

In practice, the cans are first filled with the relatively solid comestible, which has been previously washed. If the surplus moisture due to washing were allowed to remain, it is evident that the syrup sub "sequently supplied would be diluted, a result subversive of uniformity as,well as standardization. To avoid this, it is common to pass the cans thus filled Wltll the wet comestible on, their way to the .syruper, through a drainer, which by inverting them either partially or whollywill, while holding the solid contents in, permit the surplus water to flow out by gravity.

lily invention has for its object, the provision of a simple and effective drainer for this purpose, and to thisend my invention consists in the novel can drainer which I,

shall now fully. describe by reference to the accompanying drawings 1n wh1ch--- Figure. 1 1s a plan view of my can drainer,

sl'iowing it assembled with a conveyer and a syruper.

talrenon the line 22 of Fig. l and viewed in the direction of the arrows. 1

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3 -3 of F 2 and enlarged.

Fig. 41 is a sectional detail, enlarged, of one of the can propeller adjusting clips.

Fig, 5 is detailed. side elevation, enlarged, oi the drive mechanism, takenin the directionoi the arrowson the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 1 designates anannular housingformingatrack withinwhich the cans areepropelled in a circular path. Said housing 1, for con-: venience-inmachining, is preferably formed in approximately symmetrical halves, divided along its vertical diameter, and is 2 is a front elevation of the. same,

mounted upon a base casting 2, which latter is supported upon legs 3.

The base 1 is let into and forms a section of a conveyor track 4:, the remaining sec tions of said track being formed of a pair of oppositely positioned angle iron .members, as shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 2. A conveyer chain 5, carrying spaced flights 6, operates in the slot formed between said angle members. A return track 7, similarly formed of angle members, carries the return run of said conveyor chain 5.

The conveyer chain 5 with its flights 6 movesthe cans successively in the direction of the arrowsin Fig. 1, into'the lower portion or base of the annular housing 1, around which they are then carried, in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2, by means to be described hereinafter. In this circular travel within said housing 1, the cans complete a rotation about their transverse axes, during which they are inverted, and drained of their water content, being, at the end of saidtravel, returned in an upright position to the baseof the housing. The conveyor. chain 5 then removes the, cans from the housing 1, and carriesthem along the track 4, Fig. 1, in the direction of the arrows, to any desired subsequent. process or machine. In the present instance thissubsequent process is a syruping effect, and a syruping machine is indicated at 8, into which the cans are directed by suitably formed guides 9.

The conveyor chain 5 is driven by a sprocket indicated at 10, Fig. 1, secured to a verticalshaft 11, which in the present instance understood to be journaled in the feed bracket of the syruper 8, and which may be driven by any convenient mechanism not shown in the drawings.

The vertical shaft 11 also supplies power for operating the drainer. Said shaft is extended upwardly, and carries bevelpinion 12, Figs. 1 and 5, whichis secured to saidshatt by a key 13 and a set screw lei, Fig. 5. Said pinion 12 meshes with a bevel gear 15, Figs. 1 and 5, fixed upon the end of a horizontal shaft 16 which is journaled in a sleeve17, the latterhaving laterally. projectingrwings 18, Fig. l,by means of which it is secured to the back of the annular housing 1, as shown at 1.9. The can drainer may be thrown out of operation, if desired, by loosening the set screw 14!:

V and lowering the pinion 12 upon its shaft pockets in which the cans 24 lie, asin 11, to relieve it from engagementwith the gear An angle bracket 20, Figs. 1 and 5, is secured to the sleeve 17 and provides a journal for the vertical shaft 11 above the bevel gears 12 and 15.

The drainer housing 1 is set with its axis at a slight angle to the conveyor track 4', as shown in Fig. 1, to facilitate the transfer of the cans from said track to said housing and back to said track. Said housing is formed with lateral flanges 21, Fig. 3, which form a channel within which the cans travel. At the entrance end of the channel thus formed there are a pair of spaced angular feed guides 22 and 23, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, to direct the can, which is shown at 24, from the track 4 into the channel of the housing 1; and at the discharge end of said channel, the rear face of the member 23 forms a discharge guide, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, to guide the can back onto the track 4, and the opposite flange 21 is flared outwardly, as shown at 25.

The cans are moved around within the channel of the annular housing 1 by a propeller secured to and rotated by the central horizontal shaft 16. Said propeller, which is shown in Figs. 2 and 3, comprises a hub 26, Fig. 3, secured to the shaft 16, as by means of a key 27, a web 28, a substantially cylindrical flange 29 extending forwardly from said web, a second web 30, extending outwardly from said flange and spaced from the first .or rear web 28 by the width of saidflange, and a series of substaiitially'radial arms 31 extending outwardly from the flange 29 between the'forward web 30 and the outer peripheral portion of the rear web I 28.

33 has a bifurcated end portion formed with a slot 34, Fig. 4, and carries an adjustable clip 35, Figs. 2, 3 and 4, lying on the opposite side of the can from the first, or fixed branch 32. The fixed branches 32 and. the adjustable clips 35 thus form a series of 2, and cause said cans to travel around the channel of the annular housing 1. The ad'- justable clip 35 is secured to the bifurcated branch 33 by means of studs 36, Fig. 4,

which pass freely through its slot 34 and' upon each'of which are screwed a pair of nuts 37, said nuts clamplng the branch between them. The clip 35 is thus adjustable toward or away from the fixed branch.

32, and also substantially radially with re spect to the center of the propeller, to accommodate cans of different sizes.

7 housing 1, there is provided a grate for 010s ing the open end of the can, and upon which the inverted can rests. One such grate is provided in each of the described pockets of the propeller. This can grate, shown at 38 in Figs. 2 and 3, is similar in outline to the top of the can, which in this case is round, and is slightly larger than said can, in order to seat firmly upon the open end thereof. Said grate is perforated, as shown in Fig. 3, to allow the water to pass through.

'The can grate. 38 is carried by a radially positioned slide 39, Figs. 2 and 3, which is freely mounted between guide ribs 40 projecting from the back of the rearpropeller web 28, and retained between said guides by a ring .41, Figs. 1 and 3 secured to said ribs. The slide 39 carries a roller 42, Figs. 2 and 3, which is adapted to follow the groove of a cam member 43 mounted behind the propeller web 28 and securedto the brackets 18 as shown at 44 in Fig. '1. This cam, the contour of which is shown in Fig. 2, causes the can grate 38 to be elevated above the top of the can24 when the latter is in its lowest position. and to descend and rest upon said can immediately after the latter has been moved out of its lowest position. Said grate then remains in firm contact with the top. of the can so that said can is pressed against the inner surface of the housing periphery while it is carried around the circuit of the housing 1, and is again elevated.

through a longitudinal slot 46 in the slide 39, and engages a nut 47. thus clamped between the head of the screw 45 and its nut 47, and by loosening said screw the slide 39, and with it the grate 38, can be shifted radially with respect to the roller 42 and the cam 43. An aperture 48- is provided in the back of the cam 43 to permit access to said screw.

The water which drains out of the in verted cans through the grates 38 falls into a'series of pockets formed by the propeller webs 28 and 30, the flange 29, and the adjacent arms 31, said webs, flange and arms being preferably integral; An aperture 49 is formed inthe flange 29 at the base of each of said pockets, through which the water flows into a stationary semi-circular .drip pan 50, Figs. 2 and 3 positioned inside said flange 29, and carried loosely upon'the 3K The slide 39 is" be briefly described as follows :The cans having been supplied with the previously washed and still wet comestible and with their tops still open, are placed upright upon the inleading conveyer track 4 and in procession are carried forward by the flights 6 of the chain 5. This conveyer track and chain, it will be seen, linearly traverse the base of the annular housing 1 from sioe to side, thus approaching the housing, passing under it, and receding from it in continuous travel to the can destination, in this case, the syruper 8. A given can approaching the housing 1, is at once engaged by the inclined guides 22 and 23 and is deflected from the conveyer into the annular internal channel of the housing, and to its place in one of the pockets of the propeller formed between the branch 32 and the adjustable clip 35, as seen in Fig. 2. At this time the grate member 38 of this pocket is elevated. The propeller. rotating, picks up the can and moves it along the ascending arc of the internal channel of the housing, the base of the can resting on the inner surface of the periphery of said housing. The

can rises in the circular path but a short distance when the grate-member descends upon its open top, closing it, and at the same time pressing it against the housing to hold it in its path. The can continues to rise in the as ending arc, until. when it reaches the summit, it is inverted having effected a half rotation about its transverse axis. The excess moisture in the can thus drains out, passing through the grate member, which still confines the solid contents, and through the aperture 49 in the base of the pocket, and falls into the non-rotating or fixed drip pan 50 located in what may be termed the hollow hub of the propeller, and is discharged through the pipe 51. The can, from the summit of its path continues to travel through the descending arc, until when it reaches the bottom, it has completed its rotation about its transverse axis and is once track and chain in upright position and just in time to occupy the place between two of theflights'of said chain left vacant a moment before by the inieed therefrom of man a distance back in the procession equal to that occupied by the intervening cans passing through the drainer. Thus there is a can entering the drainer housing at its base on one side and at the same tune there is can being delivered from the base of the housing on the other side, in uninterrupted procession, due to the traversing of said'housing by the traveling conveyer.

I claim 1; A can drainer comprising a fixed vertically disposed annular housing adapted to receive a can at its base on one side and to discharge it at its base on the other side; means within said housing to press the can against the inner surface of the housing periphery; and means within the housing to move the can therethrough from its reception to its discharge, in a path effecting its complete rotation about its transverse axis.

2. A can drainer comprising a fixed vertically disposed annular housing adapted to receive a can at its base on one side and to discharge it at its base on the other side; a vertically disposed rotatable propeller mounted within said housing adapted to move the can therethrough from its reception to its discharge, in a path effecting its complete rotation about its transverse axis; and means carried by said propeller acting on the inner end ofthe can to press its outer end against the inner surface of the housing periphery during its travel.

3. A can drainer comprising a fixed vertically disposed annular housing adapted to receive acan at its base on one side and to discharge it at its base on the other side; a vertically disposed rotatable propeller within the housing adapted to move the can therethrough from its reception to its discharge, in a path effecting its complete rotation about its transverse axis; a gratemember carried by the propeller; and means for automatically moving said member into contact with the inner end of the can to hold its outer end against the inner surface of the housing peripher during its travel, and to release said can at the end of said travel.

4. A can drainer comprising a fixed vertically disposed annular housing adapted to receive a can at its base on one side and to discharge it at its base on the other side; a vertically disposed rotatable propeller within the housing adapted to move the can therethrough from its reception to its discharge, in a path effecting its complete rotation about its transverse axis; a gratemember carried by the propeller; and an associated can track carried'by the housing for automatically moving said member into contact with the inner end of the can to hold its outer end against the inner surface of the housing periphery during its travel, and to release said can at the'end of said travel.

5 A can drainer comprising a fixed vertically disposed housing; a traveling canconveyor traversing said housing from side to side at its base andadaptedto deliver a can to said housing through one side and to remove it therefrom through the other side; and means within said housing to move the can from the conveyer and through the housing in a path effecting its complete rotation about its transverse axis and to restore it to said conveyer.

6. A can-drainer comprising a fixed vertically disposed annular housing; a traveling can-conveyer traversing said housing from side to side at its base and adapted to de liver a can to said housing through one side and to remove it therefrom through the other side; and vertically disposed rotatable propeller mounted within the housing adapted'to move the can from the oonveyer and through the housing in a path effecting its complete rotation about its transverse axis and to restore it to said. conveyer.

7. A can-drainer comprising a fixed verticaily disposed annular housing; a traveling cauconveyer traversing said housing: from side to side at its base and adapted to deliver a can to said housing through oneside and to remove it therefrom through the other side; a vertically disposed rotatable propeller mounted within the housing adapted to move the can from the conveyer and through the housing in a path effecting its complete rotation about its transverse axis and to restore it to said conveyer; a grate-member carried by the propeller; and means for automatically moving said member into contact with the inner end of the can to hold its outer end against the inner surface of the housing periphery during its travel and release said can at the end of said travel.

8. A can drainer comprising a fixed vertically disposed, annular housing adapted to receive a can at its base on one side and to discharge it at its base on the other side; a rotatable shaft in the axis of said housing; and a propeller having a hollow perforated hub, mounted on said shaft, for moving the can through said housing from its reception to its discharge in a path effecting its com plete rotation about its transverse axis, whereby the moisture content of said can, when inverted, is drained through the'hollow perforated hub of the propeller.

9. A can drainer comprising a fixed vertically disposed annular housing adapted'to receive can at its base on one side and to discharge it at its base on the other side; a rotatable shaft in the axis of said housing; a propeller having a hollow perforated hub, mounted on said shaft, for moving the can through said housing from its reception to its discharge in a path effecting its complete rotation about its transverse axis whereby the moisture content of said can, when inverted, is drained through the hollow perforated hub of the propeller; a grate-member carried by said popeller: and means for antomatically moving said member into contact with the inner end of the can to confine its solid content and to hold the outer end of the can against the inner surface of the housing periphery during its travel and releasing said can at the end of said travel.

10. A can drainer comprising a fixed vertically disposed annular housing adapted to receive a can at its base on'one side and to discharge it at its base on the other side; a rotatable shaft in the axis of said housing; a propeller having a hollow perforated hub, mounted on said shaft, for moving the can through said housingfrom its reception to its discharge in a path effecting its complete rotation about its transverse axis, whereby the moisture content of said can, when inverted, is drained through the hollow perforated hub of the propeller; a grate-memher carried by said propeller; means for automatically moving said member into contact with the inner end of the can to confine its solid content and to hold the outer end of the can against the inner surface of the deliver a can to said housing through one side and to remove it therefrom through its other sir.e;'an inwardly inclined guide on the receiving side of the base of the housing to deflect the can from the conveyer into the housing; an outwardly inclined guide on the dischargeside of the base of the housing to deflect the can from said housing onto the conveyer; and a vertically disposed rotat-aole propeller within the housing adapted to move the can throughout the housing in a path effecting its complete rotation about its transverse axis.

12. A can drainer comprising fixed vertically disposed annular housing; a traveling can-conveyer traversing said housing from side to side at its base and adapted to deliver a can to said housing through one side and to remove it therefrom through its other side; a rotatable shaft in the axis of said housing; and a propeller having a perforated hub mounted on said shaft for moving the can through said housing from and to said conveyor in a path effecting its complete rotation about its transverse axis whereby the moisture'content of said can,

and to remove it therefrom through its other side; a rotatable shaft in the axis of said housing; a propeller having a perforated hub mounted on said shaft for moving'the can through said housing from and to said conveyer in a path efiecting its complete rotation about its transverse axis whereby the moisture content of said can, when inverted, is drained through the hollow perforated hub of the propeller; a grate-member carried by said propeller; and means for automatically moving said member into contact with the inner end of the can to confine its solid content and to hold the outer end of the can against the inner surface of the housing periphery during its travel and releasing said can at the end of said travel.

141-. A can drainer comprising a fixed vertically disposed annular housing; a traveling can-conveyer traversing said housing from side to side at its base and adapted to deliver a can to said housing through one side and to remove it therefrom through its other side; a rotatable shaft in the axis of said housing; a propeller having a perforated hub mounted on said shaft for moving the can through said housing from and to said conveyer in a path effecting its complete rotation about its transverse axis whereby the moisture content of said can, when inverted, is drained through the 'hollow perforated hub of the propeller; a grate-member carried by said propeller; means for automaticallly moving said member into contact with the inner end of the can to confine its solid content and to hold the outer end of the can against the inner surface of thehousing periphery during its travel and releasing said can at the end of said travel; and a nonrotatable drip pan located within said hollow hub of the propeller.

15. In a can-drainer the combination of a fixed vertically disposed housing; a can-con veyer traversing the base of said housing from side to side and adapted to deliver a can thereto at one side and to remove it at the other side; and a rotatable propeller within the housing adapted to move the can from its reception to its discharge in a path effecting its complete rotation about its transverse axis, said propeller being formed with a peripheral series of can-receiving pockets adjustable as to width.

16. In a can-drainer the combination of a fixed vertically disposed housing; a can-conveyer traversing the base of said housing from side to side and adapted to deliver a can thereto at one side and to remove it at the other side; a rotatable propeller within the housing adapted to move the can from its reception to its discharge in a path effecting its complete rotation about its transverse axis, said propeller being formed'with a peripheral series of can-receiving pockets adjustable as to width; slidable grate-members carried by the propeller and associated with each pocket for closing the top and the can and holding it in place during its travel in the housing; and means for adjusting the stroke of said grate-members.

17. A can drainer comprising a fixed vertically disposed housing; a rotatable propeller within said housing adapted to move a can therethrough in a path effecting its complete rotation about its transverse axis; a traveling conveyor traversing the housing from side to side and adapted to deliver a can at one side thereof and remove it from the other side; a bracket carrying said housing; a horizontal shaft journaled in said bracket and upon which the can propeller is mounted; a vertical drive shaft carried by the bracket; means on said vertical shaft for driving the can conveyer; and other means on said shaft for driving the horizontal shaft.

18. A can drainer comprising a fixed, vertically disposed housing; a rotatable propeller within said housing adapted to move a can therethrough in a path effecting its complete rotation about its transverse axis; a traveling conveyer traversing the housing from side to side and adapted to deliver a can at one side thereof and remove it from the other side; a bracket carrying said housing; a horizontal shaft journaled in said bracket and upon which the can propeller is mounted; a vertical drive shaft carried by the bracket; means on said vertical shaft for driving the can conveyer; other means on said shaft for driving the horizontal shaft; and means for throwing said last named means into and out of action.

19. A can drainer coin rising a fixed vertically disposed annular ousing; means for conveying a can into and out of said housing; a vertically disposed propeller within said housing adapted to move the can in a circular path therethrough from its reception to its discharge; and means carried by the propeller for holding the can against the inner surface of the housing periphery during its travel.

20. A can drainer comprising a fixed vertically disposed annular housing; means for conveying a can in upright position into and out of said housing; a vertically disposed propeller within said housing adapted to move the can in a circular path therethrough from its reception to its discharge; and a grate-member carried by the propeller for covering one end of the can and holding its other end against the inner surface of the housing periphery during its travel.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ALBERT R. THOMPSON. 

